Warmth continues into February

NASA’s TERRA MODIS imagery on February 3rd with fair skies allowing Bermuda to show up very well. Some of the best February weather Bermuda has to offer. Some high thin cirrus on the top left and a few fair weather cumulus near Bermuda.

The first 5 days of February saw high temperatures in the low to mid 70s with fair weather. A surface ridge of high pressure near Bermuda has kept southerly to southwesterly flow in place for this period. A weak cold front approached early in the morning on Tuesday, but stalled to the north bringing only a trace of rain in light showers that largely stayed to the north of Bermuda. This front lifted northwards through Tuesday and into Wednesday allowing another day of fair and warm weather. This stretch of warm weather has led to sea-surface temperatures much warmer than normal for February at 70.2F as of the last update on the 3rd. Below is a list of the top 5 daily warmest Sea-Surface Temperatures in February between 2000-2014. (See: Bermuda Climate)

70.2F 2014
69.7F 2002
68.6F 2000
68.5F 2008
68.1F 2001

Today, a cold front approaching from the north is expected to cross the island over a period starting tonight and lasting into Friday afternoon bringing showers, patchy rain, and gusty winds. For this afternoon, expect continued warmth with high temperatures near daily record levels – around 75F. Strong southwesterly to west-southwesterly winds with gusts near gale force in and around showers this afternoon through Friday afternoon shift to the northwest as the cold front passes. However, significantly colder air isn’t expected as the front is weak and weakens further as it pushes through, stalling and falling apart near or to the south of Bermuda. So significant precipitation accumulations are expected from this front. High temperatures behind the front on Friday and Saturday should be near or above normal (68F), near 70F.